Cardinal Koovakad will have a crucial role in the conclave: from closing doors to supervising the votes

As a last in the order of the deacon cardinals, the Indian archbishop George Jacob Koovakad – organizer of papal trips since October 2021 and current prefect of the dicascery for the interreligious dialogue – will be the first to enter the Sistine Chapel, following the tradition that establishes a procession in reverse order of precedence towards the assigned places.

During the procession, the cardinals will sing the I came Creator (Come, Creator Spirit), a Latin liturgical anthem of the ninth century with which the Holy Spirit is invoked.

In the sublime space, surrounded by the beauty of the frescoes of Miguel Ángel, Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandio, the cardinals will seal with an oath the secret that will surround the choice of Pope number 267.

In addition to the 133 marinated under 80 years and, therefore, with the right to vote, they will enter the master classroom of the Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Mons. Diego Ravelli, as well as the ceremonies who will deliver the ballots to each cardinal voter.

Then, everyone must leave the Sistine Chapel, since during the vote only the voters can remain. It will be Cardinal Koovakad who opens the door after the Outside all Every time it is necessary, in accordance with the provisions of the Apostolic Constitution The universe dominic of the flockpromulgated by San Juan Pablo II in 1996.

But it will not be the only important task that Cardinal Koovakad must perform. He will be the one who draws nine names from among all the voters.

The first three names that come out will act as scrutine cardinals, that is, those in charge of counting and verifying the votes during the papal conclave.

Its function is essential to guarantee the transparency and legitimacy of the Pope’s choice process, since they are responsible for collecting the ballots deposited by the cardinals voters in the ballot box, telling them to ensure that they coincide with the number of voters, and, finally, open and read each ballot out loud, writing the name of the cardinal voted. Finally, they must write the votes in an official act.

In addition, Cardinal Koovakad will also be in charge of choosing the reviewers, which verify that the scrutyers counted correctly, and the three cardinals infirmarythat collect the votes of those who cannot move due to illness.

If no candidate reaches the necessary two thirds, the ballots are burned and the process will have to be repeated again.